The Other Man
by Mato-Gin
Summary: Law likes to play around, but thinks he finally finds the one when he meets a cop named Smoker in in a pub called Punk Hazard. Things turn for the worst when he finds out that he has a wife and is seeing other men. He gives up, but his best friend will always be there, and plus, he meets a hot, new redhead. Not going to be SmoxLaw, but KidLaw slash. Side MarcoxAce


**A/N: Oh, man. This is sooo soo bad. I know I should be updating my other stories but I just can't stop. I just watched this movie, and I wanted so badly to write a story about it. Sorry, peeps. I will continue my other stories though. Just in a little side track, but I'll get there.**

**Full Summary: Trafalgar Law is famous young, doctor who is as adventurous as they come, and has been going through many relationships with many men that he meets. His idea of a relationship is to never have one, always have multiple, and to just have fun and games. That is, until he meets a man named Smoker at a pub. He thinks he's the perfect man, but complications of his affiliation with the underground business and Doflamingo has him tied in knots, especially since Smoker is a cop. Secrets unravel when Law decides to pay his new lover a little visit in Marineford, and they're not pretty.**

**Pairings: Eventual KidxLaw, MarcoxAce though slight pairings with Smoker**

**Of course, the pairings with smoker aren't legit. **

**This is based on the movie, The Other Woman, with a twist. **

* * *

**~The Other Man~**

**Chapter One - Friend**

* * *

He met him at a pub called Punk Hazard, a hot spot for all the night owls looking for a little hush-hush fun down in the New World district. It wasn't Law's first time there. Heck, he was almost a damn near regular, and he wasn't even looking for a hit that night when he went with Penguin and the rest of them that day, but that all changed when he saw him. Through the dark lighting of the room, and through the gruff bodies of several men that filled the tables, it was another piece of fine ass that Law couldn't resist. And who was he to turn down a lucky find?

White leather jacket and sullen face sitting at the bartender's table, Law could tell that the man was a cop taking a load off from the day's work with a couple of heavy bottles of beer. He'd know that tired look anywhere running into a few police officers himself, and of course, the gold badge attached to the rings of his pants also gave it away. The muscular man gulped the bottle empty in his hand and slammed it on the wooden table with the rest of the empty beer bottles crowding around to his side. A gruff shoot of breath escaped his nose as he finished, and he slicked his hand through his whitish blue hair bringing attention to the roughened square features of his face.

Law's eyes narrowed as he checked the man over. Defined lines of muscle curved his open chest with massive pecs, his stomach covered with washboard abs, and the dangerous lifestyle he led chasing after criminals was engraved across his forehead with a scar that ran from his hairline and down past his left eye to his upper cheek. Whoever he was, this cop was all man, and Law liked it. Law took a gulp of his own drink as he sat with his friends hearing his crew talk and yell at each other at the other side of the room. All of them were having their own fun, Shachi yelling something about stripping, the rest of them shouting back and arguing a borderline incoherent response signaling that they were all starting to get drunk. Law figured they wouldn't miss him for the moment and took his chance to quietly slip out.

The dark haired surgeon was inwardly glad that he was wearing his tightest pair of black jeans that hugged his thighs and elongated his already slim long legs. Sexy was the most innocent word people could use to describe what the denim did to his bottom half. For the top, he was also wearing a fitting black dress shirt which he unbuttoned at the collar to show the sharpness of his collarbones. His sleeves were rolled to his elbows to reveal a little more skin exposing his tattoos, but it also helped to cool him down from the heat of the filled pub. He weaved through a light crowd of men walking about and made his way to the counter. By the time he made it, the man had ordered another round of alcohol.

"One more," he grunted.

The bartender swiftly replied and served him his nth round. The cop grabbed his next serving and chugged it down almost finishing the whole thing when he stopped midway to take a breath ripping the bottle from his lips

"It's not fun to drink here by yourself," the man heard a voice next to him. He turned around and saw Law leaning to the table beside him pulling off the tall, lean, and sexy. He let his grey eyes roll all over the government eye candy letting the man's features sink in as they finally get to see each other up close. A playful smirk pulled at the side of Law's lips when he saw the man's face tighten. "You here to vent out a little?"

The cop only let out a deep grunt telling him to go away and turned back to his beer. He picked up his bottle again and was about to down another drink when a hand stopped him. Law leaned in real close to the man's ear letting his his hot breath tickle behind a sensitive spot he knew very well would elicit a favourable response.

"This isn't the way. If you let me, I'll show you how to really relax. And believe me, here at Punk Hazard, we know to ease up little knots here and there."

The cop held his arm still and shifted his eyes sharply at the dark haired man. The insinuating smile was still on his face, pale grey irises tinted with lust looked right back at him. Law pulled back when he knew he had him and slipped the beer bottle from his hand gulping the rest of it as a favour to finishing the man's drink. He didn't need it where they were going. He placed the bottle back on the table and started walking away, his hips making sure that the man sitting behind him was having a good view.

That was all how it started. The government dog expectedly followed after him, they escaped the atmosphere of the bar and left, and they had sex at a nearby hotel. The sex was good, it was damn good, Smoker being rough and hard as he was and exactly how Law liked it and envisioned how it would be like, and they met up again. And again after that, and after that. They met up after work at the hospital, after and between Law's other job with his "family" and Joker's business dealings, and even during both their free time. Before Law knew it, he was meeting up with Smoker almost all the time, every chance he got for a full three months, and he stopped seeing other people. All his other "special" friends, Law cut them all off and stopped going to Punk Hazard for all the late night fun and stress relievers. No matter how hot a new young thing came playfully chatting by, they were rejected. It wasn't until he noticed Smoker's clothes in his closet though that Law realized that he had suddenly gone exclusive with this man. This one man.

"When am I going to meet your parents?"

The question suddenly came up one day after they had sex in Law's condominium. The young doctor walked to his black sofa in the living room and sat down looking at the white haired man walking out of his bedroom as he slid on his uniform jacket.

"I don't think you should meet my father yet," he spoke hoping the older man would understand. He knew it wasn't just the father the older man wanted to see, but his whole family - the whole Donquixote family. But of course, Smoker didn't know about his real 'family.' Law did well to hide that, or any personal things that dealt with Joker for both of their benefit and well being. As far as Smoker knew, he just has a normal father and not a criminal familia, and Law wanted to keep it that way to maintain the peace they currently had. Doffy didn't know about his boyfriend, and his boyfriend didn't know about Doffy. No complications, no mess, no knots. "I don't want to introduce you yet to the others when I feel like we should keep this thing between us before everyone comes in to what we have," Law furrowed his brows trying to choose his words carefully. "I don't want to lose what we have right now so soon."

And by lose what he and Smoker had, Law meant that he didn't want Smoker to find out that his family ran the underground business. He couldn't trust him yet. Not when Smoker was a man of the police force who served his own code of justice with a stone cold fist of righteousness. He was his boyfriend, and that was just that. Until Smoker became something more, he couldn't know anything. Nothing about Smile, the new developing type of weaponry Doflamingo was creating, or about Law's affiliation with the numerous cases of missing persons in the city. The black market for organs didn't supply itself. Smoker couldn't even know that Law technically owned the Punk Hazard pub because of all the secret dealings that went there.

After putting on his gloves, Smoker walked closer and cupped Law's face in his hands. The rough feel of leather rubbed against the younger's cheeks, and the doctor leaned into it.

"We haven't even known each other that long yet," Law closed his eyes. He could smell the ashy smoke from the man's cigar on the other's clothes, and he felt like ripping off the leather jacket just so they could make love again. It didn't matter if they weren't on his bed, Smoker could take him here and now on the couch.

"We've known each other long enough for me to give you this," Smoker took his hand back to take something out of his breast pocket.

Law opened his eyes to see a small black box right in front of his face. He took it in his hands and opened the box to see a sleek silver ring, the band thick for a male accessory. It wasn't anything fancy. It was just a plain ring, it's meaning far from an engagement ring, and something more like, but less than, a promise ring.

Law couldn't stop staring at the piece of metal in his hands. Smoker took the black box back and slipped the ring on Law's right ring finger for a perfect fit. The way it felt when it settled at the base of his finger, the medical prodigy didn't know what to do, how to react. Everything just felt so… right. He wasn't put off by such a strong gesture or from the fact that their relationship just turned into something serious. In fact, he actually felt happy. His heart wasn't beating fast or loud like he thought it would, it was running normal and pumping at an unhurried pace.

Smoker took his head into both his hands and kissed the lids of his eyes. The soft kisses kept on down to his nose and onto his lips.

"I need to go. I'll come back tomorrow night," Smoker pulled back leaving his pink flesh soft and tingling.

He let go of his hold around Law's neck with a parting peck, then turned around to leave.

_Fuck._ Law cussed in his head once he heard the door close. He was in so deep.

After a few moments of sitting still and staring at the silver band now across his finger, he stood up. Law went into his room and started to strip off his clothes he slept in last night and threw them on his bed. He opened up his closet and took out a plain shirt, a pair of jeans, and a light jacket to put on. There was no way Smoker was going to make him stay home alone like this after just dropping this ring on him. He had a day off today at work so instead of curling into a ball with thoughts spiraling into his brain, he checked himself in the mirror to make sure that he looked decent enough to show himself in the streets, then took his keys and wallet to leave. God, he couldn't be falling for a cop. A freaking cop, for fuck's sake. This couldn't be more wrong and disastrous.

Law got in his black Acura and drove out of the building and into the streets. He let his body run the wheel as he drove to the destination in his mind, his hands gripping onto the leather ring. He just didn't like how Smoker wanted to meet Doflamingo, his adoptive father, and he didn't like how he just accepted the man's gift to him like they were official. And most of all, he didn't like how he actually liked the idea of his boyfriend meeting Doffy. Law forced out a sigh. Not that he _liked_ or _wanted_ the two to meet, the idea was an explosion waiting to happen, but he was _hopeful_ that Doflamingo would make an exception for him and hide the fact that they were the czars of the underworld just so his father didn't have to kill his lover. Doffy loved him, right?

Law could just imagine the blonde frowning the moment he tells the flamingo about his government dog of a boyfriend and killing his smile. Happy would not be the mood that would fill the atmosphere once that time finally comes. That love Doflamingo harbored for him might just actually die, and maybe Law with it as well no matter how much of a favorite he was. (Though not likely.)

Pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind, Law finally got to his destination and parked in front of a pet shop. It was the biggest in the city, and though the company owned multiple chains around the world, this particular one was the original that had expanded and remodeled to a bigger, better looking building.

Law got out of his car and entered the shop, the inside decorated cozy for pet owners and pets with soft, plush chairs and soft rugs with scratchers. The person at the front desk recognized him immediately and told him to go to the back at the grooming section where his dog was being taken care of. With a nod of thanks, Law made his way to the back where he could hear some of the other dogs bark and saw a tall, lean man with messy blonde hair brushing the head of his Great Pyrenees. The white, fluffy dog was only a couple years old, but it was already big enough to be a third of the man's height. Other dogs were walking around the man grooming the animals and his dog Bepo, but Bepo seemed to stay still and take no notice of the other dogs or any distractions until he saw Law. Bepo let out a loud, powerful bark turning his head towards his owner as he came in the grooming room and began wagging his tail. The blonde who was brushing him smiled and tried to pet him to calm down when the Great Pyrenees jumped off the chair it was sitting in and ran past him to Law.

"Woof!" the fluffy, walking mass of white fur rubbed up against Law's legs and he smiled scratching the back of the dog's happy ears.

"Hey there, Bepo," Law squatted down to the canine's level even though he knew what would happen. As expected, his dog stuck out its big tongue and licked him on the nose and mouth. Law scrunched his nose tolerating the excess saliva sticking to his face and he heard someone laugh.

"Hey, Law," he looked up to see the groomer walk towards him with brush in hand. "About time you came. Your dog started to scratch the door waiting for you. I actually thought he might break it down to go looking for you," the man joked. Though it was completely possible with the sheer size of his dog.

"Sorry about that. I just got really busy with the hospital calling every night for the past few days," Law stood up wiping the dog saliva off with the back of his sleeve. "Thanks for taking care of him, Marco."

The groomer who was actually the store manager let out a small chuckle and gave one last pet to Bepo's head to matt it down.

"It's fine," he smiled. "I like taking care of him. He gets along well with the other animals. He just starts missing you a lot when you don't come though."

As if he understood, Bepo let out another bark to agree and Law scratched the back of his ear again.

"Did you miss me that much?" Law said quietly more to himself than out loud.

It was only for three days that he left his dog in the blonde's care, but Bepo had always been a little attached since he was a puppy. The canine wagged his tail furiously at being touched savoring the affection and tried to jump on his owner asking for more.

"Woof!" Bepo slammed all his weight against Law's stomach pushing him back.

"Omf!" all of Law's breath left his lungs, his eyes widening as he tried to grab hold onto something. Marco reacted immediately quickly reaching out for his hands as he stumbled back catching him before he fell. He pulled the dark haired man towards himself so that he would fall forward into his chest, and Marco wrapped his arms around Law's waist as soon as he felt him come forward.

Law's forehead hit blonde's chin making the other man call out in pain, but his face ended up being buried at the crook of the blonde's neck. It was the most awkward thing ever as their bodies pressed against each other, Law's left arm squished in between their bodies, his right one being held tightly to the side. Marco's fingers dug into his knuckles making them white, his arm holding him too tightly with too much pressure at his waist.

"Are you alright?"

Law peeled himself off raising his head to find the other man looking at him. Their faces were so close together and he could see the light blush at Marco's cheeks. For a moment, they didn't move and he had to push himself off to get the blonde to let go of him.

"I'm fine, thanks,"

Law tried to pull away, but there was a tug to his right hand. He looked back to see Marco still holding it, his fingers intertwined between his as he stared fixated at the silver band sitting on the base of his right ring finger. There was a dent at his yellow brows as he looked and turned to Law.

"Who gave you this?" he asked, his hold still not slackening even when the young doctor tried to slide his hand away.

"A friend of mine gave it to me," Law answered trying to sound vague.

"A friend?" Marco deepened his expression not believing an ounce that the person was just a 'friend.' He looked at Law's face and noticed the brightness in his eyes, the change in his demeanor suddenly turning a little reserved.

The blonde's suspicion was obvious as he knew that Law went out with many men, but none of them did he let give him any sentimental presents. And to get past his promiscuity and high barrier about any intimacy to let any of his partners to get close to his personal life was an impossible feat. They would have had to gone through a black hole in the fourth dimension to accomplish such a thing, but this ring - this sliver band of jewelry was flaunting the achievement of completing the undoable. This was the first time Marco had seen Law wear anything from a partner or accept any accessory for that matter, and this was the intimate sort of kind.

"You're seeing someone?"

Law darted his eyes at Marco as he hit the right spot.

"You are," the blonde blinked getting his confirmation. A slight surprise still hit him though and he slackened his clutch at the dark haired man's hand

Marco's face softened letting Law take his hand back, and there was still a moment of disbelief when he let go. Law looked at at him in his stupor of a blank stare until he finally slowly came out of it.

"I'm… happy for you," an effort of a light smile tried to lift at the blonde's lips. He was painfully trying. His droopy lids were setting lower than usual as he was trying to look up, but his eyes kept going back down to the floor. "Who is he?"

Law looked down as well trying to figure out what was so interesting with the ground. A fluff of white suddenly came to his view as Bepo came around his legs. He reached out to scratch deep into the coat of softness quickly forgiving his bear of a dog for tackling him merely because he liked the feel of his hair, and because he knew Bepo meant no harm. It was just his size that was the problem, but that's what made him so adorable. He sunk his fingers underneath Bepo's bright, orange collar to stop him from moving, then looked to Marco again.

"Do you want to get some coffee?" he asked.

The man raised a brow, but nodded. If they were going to talk about this, they were going to talk about this somewhere more private, not here where there were other customers appointed to come in the next half hour. And what Law wanted to talk about was going to take more than thirty minutes to get everything out.

Marco told his assistant for the shop that he'll be taking a little lunch break and that he'd be back in roughly an hour or so. The two men both went out and took their own cars to a nearby cafe where they met back up again, a dainty little place that had an outside eating area that overlooked a wide, spacious park. It provided a nice scenic view as the grass was well kempt and clean, but it was mostly for Bepo so he could roam around as they talked. Law had no worries that his dog would get lost as his Great Pyrenees didn't like to stray far away from him.

Bepo went off to run at the small pond as the two men got seated to a table and ordered. Neither really wanted anything to eat and ordered coffee and Earl Grey tea, though they were served with hot bread and jam as compliments.

It was a little weird talking to someone about his relationship, it's been years since Law had a monogamous one and he didn't quite know how to explain it. It just felt like things were flowing neatly that way and instead of resisting, his new found lover led him all the way to where they were now. The surprise on Marco's face had dissipated much to Law's ease as he wanted at least his best friend to understand as he told him the general idea of all that had been going on his life for the past few months.

"His name is Smoker?" Marco took the cup from his lips once he heard him speak his lover's name. "Smoker Lovec? Isn't he a cop? I remember hearing that name a couple of times in the news. Something about arresting a group of criminals in Alabasta."

"That's the one," Law took a sip of his tea. The mentioned event actually happened just recently. He saw it in the news too just a few days ago.

Smoker's reputable reputation in his line of work was sometimes troubling. Everyone knew him, and it was easy to get publicity from a government dog, much to Law's internal dilemma. Apparently, Marco thought the same as he set his cup of coffee down.

"So, you're okay with that?" he looked at Law. "I mean, he's a cop."

There was an extra emphasis in the last word. _Cop._ A knit of concern scrunched up at the blonde's brows, and Law turned his head to gaze along the extent of the park. He spotted his white dog circling around a tree, his head fixated in intense focus of a squirrel scurrying up the trunk. What his friend was implying didn't need to be said as Law thought about this himself very well. Marco only knew the surface, that his father was into some bad, shady business and nothing else. He only suspected Law was into the business as well, but gave a reason of doubt.

But Law knew. He very well knew how far deep he was in the underground hole, how he was as much guilty as Doflamingo himself. The whole time he'd been going out with his new found lover, Law had been thinking about the implications of dating a cop, how he'd have to hide his extracurricular activities of the black market, how he could put off Smoker's interest of asking about his personal affiliations with other people. Most of the people he came into contact with were all criminals save for a handful. It was these bitter thoughts that he'd been able to push to the back of his mind so far, but not anymore.

"No," Law said it sweet and simple, "of course not. I always wish that he wasn't, then things could be a lot simpler." Although it was really his fault for hitting on a soldier of the law thinking that the very idea of doing it with one was so hot and sexy. The idea of defiling a not so saintly saint of the country still sent him excited goosebumps. He leaned forward into his hand against the polished table, the bottom of his palm that met his wrist covering a part of his mouth, as he continued to watch blankly at Bepo. "He asked," Law oddly didn't regret what mess he'd gotten himself into, "He asked to meet Doflamingo."

Marco's eyes turned wide. "He knows about Doflamingo?"

The deep hell Law would be in for being associated by such a man alarmed him if the police found out.

"No, there's no way he could," Law let out brusquely. The flamingo was a top head of the underworld, and for a person like Smoker, though he was high in rank, was impossible for his caliber. A person knew about the real identity of Joker _only_ if Joker wanted to let them know. Law turned to table to finally face him again and added, "But he wants to meet my 'father.'"

The innocent word of father made the other man's brows come down. So the cop still didn't know. The blonde took a deep relieved breath, though there were some mixed emotions in there as he didn't approve of the illegal business at all, but he was glad that Law was still relatively safe. He scratched the tuft of yellow hair atop his scalp releasing a deep sigh.

"Law," Marco's tone was getting tired already.

"I know," Law wrapped his hands around his warm cup of tea. The radiating heat soothed his always cold fingers relaxing him. "I'm not going to let him meet my 'father.' There's no way I would let him, and I'd separate the two of them as far as I can. If I could, I would never let them meet."

"You might not be able to though if he's asking."

"I'm going to tell him no," Law shook his head. "Trust me on this. But I'll need your help."

Marco tilted his head questioningly, but that was the end of their conversation. Their little lunch ended with Law telling him his plan that instead of meeting his father who would be too 'busy,' they would be meeting up with Law's friend instead - Marco. The blonde felt a little seedy acting as a cover up against a cop, but he agreed to it. Law was in such a weird bind that it called for it, but they knew they couldn't do this forever. The two of them agreed to focus on the present for now and they left the cafe, Marco treating, to his insistence, for the tea. It wasn't that much anyway.

Law called a high pitch whistle for Bepo to come back before they left and the white canine came running back, branch in his teeth. The dark haired man let out a soft chuckle gently pulling the overgrown stick from his dog's mouth and threw it back to the ground. He needed to keep a light heart in this, and at least Bepo was helping him by being silly. Plans (crappily) worked out, all Law had to do was wait until he saw Smoker again to talk it out.

When he did see his gruff, white haired lover again, they were riding in Smoker's car as he picked him up from work and was taking Law back to his condo. When he heard the news, Smoker actually didn't really mind much that they couldn't catch a meal with his father. In fact, he didn't mind catching a meal at all with anyone.

"I have to go back to Marineford," he said in between huffs of his cigar. The smoke easily flew out from the top as Smoker was driving his cloud blue convertible. "I got a call saying that they need me back to deal with a series of shootings in the city. My partner, Tashigi, says she has a lead, but a few of my men already got shot following it. I need to go back."

Law only tensed his lips staying quiet. Of course he understood. Smoker was an officer in the city of Marineford, not Sabaody. He only came that one time by chasing a criminal on the loose that had ran away to this city by chance when they met. Now, Smoker had no real reason to even come to Sabaody except for visiting Law in his off times in the weekends.

He didn't make a fuss and calmly handled the unexpected rejection of plans as he kissed Smoker goodbye before he left. He didn't feel disappointed that the two of them missed a chance to finally meet one of Law's closest friends. He didn't have an excess abundance of friends, he had enough to satisfy a good life, but there would always be another chance that would arise to meet all the people that were close to him slowly. Some time this week just wasn't the time.

Law was okay about all of this, but before he knew it, he was in front of Marco's steps in front of his house in the afternoon. He knocked a few times and heard someone coming down the stairs to open the door.

"Law?" Marco made a confused expression not expecting to see the dark haired man in his day off. He was wearing a plain white shirt and slacks when he came out as he wasn't awaiting any visitors, but just a calm weekend day. "What are you doing here?"

"He cancelled," Law stood there in his front door sagging.

"Who?"

"Smoker. He cancelled our lunch this week."

Marco knit his brows at such a trivial thing. "You came all the way here to tell me that?"

Law looked at him with such big eyes, his posture so slumped as he stood. Marco let out a deep breath taking a look around outside before pulling him in.

"Come inside," he took Law by the wrist. He closed the door behind him and led him to the living room to sit.

Marco's main room was furnished comfortably with two tan sofas and one armchair that surrounded a low, brown, polished coffee table. To the corners of the room were small stands that were filled with vases, only two with plants that were given as gifts, and the floor was matted with a soft, blue carpet. Law liked the feel of the carpet on his feet as he took his shoes off before coming in, and he walked to sit by the couch adjacent to the huge sliding glass doors that led to the backyard porch. A golden cage was hanging at the corner near the glass doors, and he could see Marco's light blue parrot, Phoenix, scratching himself in there.

"Your bird is still alive I see," Law complimented at how the blonde took such good care of it.

The other man ignored him though and straight out asked getting to the point. "Why are are you here, Law? Is something wrong?"

Law shifted his eyes at Marco standing by the entranceway, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.

"Nothing's wrong," he shrugged his shoulders and sunk himself deeper into the cushions.

"Then why are you here?"

"To see you."

Marco cocked a brow at the obvious lie. Looking at the way Law settled himself in the cushions, he knew they were going to be here a while. Getting a tight lipped Law to talk would take some energy so he walked into the kitchen to make them some drinks. He came out shortly with two glasses and set one down in front of his guest on the coffee table.

"Why did Smoker cancel?" Marco decided to start with that as he took a seat in one of the armchairs.

The man was obviously moping about it, and he took an uneducated guess that this was what it was all about. Just a little stab in the dark, a tiny guess.

Law looked down at the iced glass, his arms spread on the armrests of his chair. "His work called so he had to go back to Marineford."

"And?" Marco took a sip of his own drink. In this scenario, he sort of expected Law to understand when duty calls, work came first. He was a doctor who gets called at two in the morning to the E.R. when they were short of staff for an emergency so he knew Law understood, but there was something else bothering him. "We can always reschedule. The next time he comes over, we can make a reservation at a better place. This Sunday was a short notice for all three of us anyway."

"It's not that," Law frowned. "I just - I just wanted him to meet you. He was finally going to meet someone close to me, but work just got in the way."

The sweet liquid came thickly down Marco's throat. _Someone close to him?_ Although a deep sense of intimacy swelled inside him of knowing what Law thought of him as, he realized the reason for his friend's mood didn't come because of him. It was his lover, Smoker. Law was anticipating his relationship with Smoker to get deeper by finally letting the man in his circle. And Law had a close circle of friends, only people he trusted enough to open up to were let in. It was like a wave that hit him in the chest whenever Law came to talk to him like this. Watching by as the confidant through the string of men his friend went through until he finally found that one. This one. Their relationship was getting more personal.

Marco was quiet for a moment, thoughts being mulled over in his brain. He understood a little too much, his position of where he was at the right angle to get the jist of every single damn perspective of the situation.

He set his cup down at his coffee table finally done thinking.

"Why don't you surprise him and go to Marineford instead?" he proposed. "Smoker has always been coming over here, why don't you go over there for a change and see his life over there? Even if you guys won't get to spend much time together because of work, you'll at least be there for support and you'll finally get to see Smoker's other life. You both just want to get closer right?" he lifted his eyes to look at Law's. "So it shouldn't matter who takes the first step in who gets to meet who's friends."

Law looked at him like he was crazy. Heck, even to Marco's ears he sounded crazy, but he just hated to see the other man like this. If it was some crazy stunt they had to pull to get him out of looking so depressing, then it was the crazy stunt it was.

With a coyote like smile, Law actually leaned forward liking the idea, a glint of mischievousness sparkling in his eyes. The sides of his lips curled, and the blonde knew that he had sparked a terrible idea.

"You're right," Marco didn't like any part of the look on Law's face as he looked at him. The man rubbed the hairs of his goatee thinking diabolically. "Marco, I think I need your help again."

He wanted to say no.

* * *

When Marco offered to help, he didn't think that he'd be driving his relationship-impaired friend at night to another city in his car. They neared the address Law had given him to Smoker's house, and they parked right in front of a driveway of a decently sized cream colored house. It was two stories, had a nice lawn, but he couldn't tell that much more of anything worth noting in the dark of the night.

It only took an hour to come with light traffic and it was around ten when they arrived. Marco looked to the back seat where Law was dressed rather skimpy in his special police uniform. He had the navy blue collars and everything, even a badge on his chest and the thick, black belt to hold fake guns and... a whip.

Law opened the car door shooting out his long, tanned legs that were hardly covered at all with the shortest shorts Marco had seen in his life. Just looking at Law stand, his view catching the man's firm behind, was enough to make him blush. Law stood in heels making himself even taller, his legs even longer. The most concealing thing about his costume was his spotted white hat that he always wore which made Marco want to tell Law to come back inside before any weirdos came out to jump him. It was all too sexy.

Law took out a pair of gloves that he had near a pair of handcuffs attached to his belt and slid them on.

"I'll call you tomorrow," he leaned in the passenger window after shutting the back doors closed.

Marco gave a nod trying to hide the red in his cheeks and they both waved goodbye before he drove off.

* * *

Law felt so damn confident as he strutted down the driveway. Smoker said he lived with his partner at work so it might be them answering, but at least he would be let in if Smoker wasn't the one meeting him at the door. Though that would be better if Smoker came to answer just so he could see the surprise on his face. He took a calm breath before he rang the doorbell, hand holding the holster of his fake gun. A smile ran across his lips as he thought about all the fun they were going to have tonight.

The door opened a few moments after, and a slim woman answered the door. She was wearing a light pink nightgown that reached below her knees, and she tightened her robe from the cold that came invading in the house. Her dark hair was put up and she shifted her glasses to look over her late night visitor.

"Hi," she greeted quite warmly though Law could tell she was on her guard. There was a bulge at the side of her hip that took the shape of a real gun, her hand close to it ready to take it out in case of any sudden danger. "How can I help you?"

"Good evening, miss. My name is Trafalgar Law, and I'm here for Smoker Lovec," he smiled politely. "I assume you're his work partner?"

"I'm his wife," the woman corrected him.

The smile Law had been wearing suddenly disappeared in an instant, his hand dropping from the side where he held his belt.

"I'm sorry?" he asked just to make sure. "His wife?"

"Yes," the woman nodded wondering why he didn't believe her. "Smoker Lovec. I'm his wife, Tashigi Lovec. His partner is at work with him right now. Is there a reason why you're looking for my husband?"

Law's mouth opened slightly and he backed away a few steps. He still couldn't believe what was happening. He was hoping that she was lying and that this was just some cruel joke, but the innocently bemused woman standing before him was telling him otherwise. This was real. This was freaking real, and she was telling the truth.

"I'm sorry," his brows came together as he shook his head pretending that he made a mistake. "I'm looking for a different Smoker. I didn't mean Lovec, I meant Smoker Rize. I think - I think I have the wrong address."

He continued backing away, and the woman, Smoker's _wife_, eyed him suspiciously by the door. She ran her eyes over him judging his outfit and there wasn't another time he could think of that he felt like killing himself. God, this was so embarrassing.

Law walked backwards even faster just wanting to get away that he didn't notice the small steps. His body jolted as he fell down to the ground with a small gasp, and the woman stepped forward onto the porch.

"Are you alright? "she called over straining her neck to see if he was okay.

Law quickly got himself up not wanting her to come over.

"I'm fine," he held a hand out telling her to stay where she was. "I'm fine, thank you."

There was a sharp pain at his leg where he might have twisted it, and from the dark he could see an almost black liquid dripping down from his knee which was most likely blood. He stepped forward with his other leg and his heel cracked popping off and making him stumble. Luckily, he had enough balance to stay up and not fall flat on his face. Looking like a drunk, he picked up the broken stick that lifted his shoes from the floor. He made a quick glance at the woman who was still watching him worriedly, and he gave a half smile. He waved a lazy farewell with the broken heel in hand and limped away as fast as he could, feet unleveled like a cripple from the only one functioning shoe.

He tried to get out of their front yard hastily and continued walking down the lit street. A few lamps brightened the night every block, and Law was relieved that there weren't any people walking by to see him like this. He bit his wavering bottom lip almost tearing the flesh. He must look so stupid right now, he mused. His chest hollowed to a dry laugh. He wanted to laugh. Laugh so badly at himself and how he got played.

An angry wetness started to pressure his eyes, and he yelled at himself to hold it back. His throat gulped dryly as he breathed shallowly to calm himself down. It was way damn idiotic to think he could settle with one man. It was dumb to think he'd be able find a decent man out there who wasn't just out there to hit it and just set him aside. Most of all, it was way damn foolish to think that he'd be loved that way he thought Smoker loved him. He maybe a cardiac surgeon, but he never had anyone's heart that he held in his hands or hold next to his own.

Whatever Law thought, it didn't matter because right now, walking in the streets with a skanky costume, broken heel, and bleeding leg, he very much looked like a two dollar whore. And that's how he felt like anyway. He just wished that deep inside, the news of having a fucking wife didn't get shoved into his face this way.

As soon as he got far enough, Law took out his phone and dialed the last number he called. He placed the device next to his ear waiting for the ringing to end and the voice to pick up.

"Hello?" the phone clicked to an answer.

"Marco," Law was not whimpering. "Can you come back and pick me up? You aren't at the freeway yet, are you?"

There was a dead pause at the other end of the line.

"No. I'll be right over."

The sound of Marco's voice, there was nothing more that he wanted than to curl up to the comforting, familiar baritone.

"Thank you."

* * *

**A/N: Revising ch. 2 (It was taken down.)**


End file.
